Water quality is something the average person doesn’t spend much time thinking about. Many people assume that the water that comes out of the tap is clean and safe as-is and doesn’t need any further refinements.
Walt Witchman was one of those people. In 1978, he set out to win Jackson County’s annual Pumpkin Prize, awarded to the farmer able to grow the largest pumpkin. Click here for more information about a modern-day pumpkin growing contest and its rules and regulations.
He did everything he could in order to win the prize. He started by installing his own filtration system. He ran a hose along the ground and made several holes in it at even intervals in order to distribute the water among several plants. Then he planted his seeds to correlate with the holes.
For six months, Witchman kept a careful eye on his plants. From the first tiny bud that broke through the soil, he was hooked. His wife, Agatha, complained to anyone who would listen that she had become a pumpkin widow. Walt was up early in the morning to check on his plants and would run out late at night when he heard foraging animals, he thought might threaten his crop.
After a couple of months, Walt was able to select one pumpkin who was growing faster than the rest. He gave the pumpkin a name – Sally, after his favorite Peanuts character – and dedicated himself wholly to the plant. He knitted it a blanket to keep it warm as the nights started to grow cooler. He made special compost just for his pumpkin. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for it.
Finally, the day of the contest arrived. He had to have the help of seven nearby farmers and their animals to get Sally into the back of a pickup truck. Walt nervously secured his pumpkin to the truck and rode in the back all the way out to the county fairgrounds. Even though it was a chilly fall day, he was sweating bullets.
The prize for the largest pumpkin was one thousand dollars – still a lot in today’s money, but even more back then. A thousand dollars would have paid for the wedding his daughter, Pearl, was planning to her boyfriend Carl. A lot was riding on this contest, including Walt’s peace of mind.
The committee weighed his pumpkin on arrival. It was over seven hundred pounds. Walt breathed a sigh of relief. He was sure that his entry was going to be big enough to take home the grand prize.
But in the end, Walt was surprised. The grand prize was awarded to a pumpkin named Josie, grown by his neighbor John Paulson. Josie weighed in at nearly nine hundred pounds!
“How did you do it?” Walt asked. “I tried everything I could think of, and it still wasn’t enough.”
Paulson was sympathetic. He confided that he had a secret weapon. He had filtered all of the water he gave to Josie through a special filter. It had given John Paulson the edge he needed to take home the prize.
How to Decide if You Need a Filter?
Few people are engaged in the kind of competitive plant growing that Walt Witchman was doing more than forty years ago. Does that mean that few people could benefit from filtered water?
Not at all. There are a great many people who could benefit from a water filter. Are you one of them?
Do you grow crops? Whether on a commercial facility, in a little herb garden on your patio, or somewhere in-between, plants thrive when given clean, quality water. If you are growing crops to feed your family, you are definitely a prime candidate for a water filtration system. Click here for more information about starting your own garden at home if you haven’t already!
What about a swimming hole? Many homes in the South have a man-made swimming hole to help beat the heat. Once the holes are lined and filled, they can be stocked with fish in order to eat up algae and other small pests and keep the hole looking nice. The fish can also be eaten as a means of population control.
If this sounds like your setup, then you would also benefit from filtered water. Remember that whatever the fish are breathing is what you’re eating, so you want it to be the very best.
Who Can Get a Water Filter?
Luckily, unlike in Walter’s time, water filters are readily available. Many different types of hoses can be fitted with filters. A water filter for garden hose can be quickly and easily installed. Rubber hoses, the most common kind used in small scale growing operations, are a prime candidate. Steel hoses are also able to be fitted with filters.
On an industrial level, sprayers and in-ground systems can also be outfitted with filters. In fact, any commercial growth facility can be fitted with a filter.
Where to Buy?
Make sure to shop with a reputable retailer when you decide to purchase a water filter. Of course, with something that has such a strong impact on health and safety, you don’t want to buy a product that is ineffective.
Make sure you do your research before making a decision. Some companies will come out and install your new system for you. Others offer maintenance for free or a small additional charge. Make sure to ask these questions upfront so you know what you’re getting.
Making a major change can be overwhelming. Once you’ve decided that a water filtration system is for you, you’re well on your way. All you need to do is select your preferred method of filtration and decide whether you want to install it or have an established company with a good reputation come out and do it for you.
No matter what you choose, you will enjoy the benefits of your new system for generations to come.
